Real-Time Theme Preview Sandbox

Experiment with your website's theme in a live environment. Preview how different components and elements look with your chosen color scheme, typography, and spacing.

Preview

Buttons

Cards

Card Title

Card content with theme styling applied.

Colored Card

Card with background color.

Form Elements

Typography

Heading 1

Heading 2

Regular paragraph text with theme styling.

Accent colored text.

Generated Theme CSS

:root {
  /* Colors */
  --primary: #3b82f6;
  --secondary: #64748b;
  --background: #ffffff;
  --text: #1f2937;
  --accent: #f59e0b;

  /* Typography */
  --font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
  --font-size-base: 16px;

  /* Spacing */
  --spacing: 1rem;
  --radius: 0.5rem;
}

Understanding Theme Systems

A theme system is the foundation of your website's visual design. It encompasses colors, typography, spacing, and component styles that work together to create a cohesive user experience.

Key Theme Components

  • Color palette and color modes
  • Typography scale and font families
  • Spacing and layout systems
  • Component variants and states
  • Animation and transition styles

Theme Considerations

  • Brand consistency across components
  • Accessibility and contrast ratios
  • Dark mode support
  • Component state variations
  • Responsive behavior

Theme Implementation Best Practices

1. CSS Custom Properties

Use CSS variables to create flexible and maintainable themes:

:root {
  /* Colors */
  --primary: #3b82f6;
  --primary-hover: #2563eb;
  --secondary: #64748b;
  --background: #ffffff;
  --text: #1f2937;

  /* Typography */
  --font-main: system-ui, sans-serif;
  --font-heading: "Inter", sans-serif;
  
  /* Spacing */
  --spacing-unit: 0.25rem;
  --radius: 0.5rem;
}

2. Dark Mode Support

Implement dark mode using CSS custom properties and media queries:

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
  :root {
    --background: #1f2937;
    --text: #f3f4f6;
    --primary: #60a5fa;
    --primary-hover: #93c5fd;
  }
}

3. Component Variants

Create reusable component styles with variants:

.button {
  padding: calc(var(--spacing-unit) * 2) calc(var(--spacing-unit) * 4);
  border-radius: var(--radius);
  font-family: var(--font-main);
  transition: all 0.2s ease;
}

.button-primary {
  background: var(--primary);
  color: white;
}

.button-secondary {
  background: var(--secondary);
  color: white;
}

4. Responsive Design

Implement responsive adjustments using CSS variables:

:root {
  --container-width: 100%;
  --font-size-base: 16px;
}

@media (min-width: 768px) {
  :root {
    --container-width: 750px;
    --font-size-base: 18px;
  }
}

Theme Testing Strategies

Visual Regression Testing

Implement visual regression tests to catch unintended theme changes:

  • Screenshot comparison across theme variations
  • Component state testing
  • Responsive breakpoint testing
  • Color mode transition testing

Accessibility Testing

Ensure your theme meets accessibility standards:

  • Color contrast ratios
  • Focus state visibility
  • Text readability
  • Interactive element sizing

Cross-Browser Testing

Test theme consistency across different browsers:

  • CSS variable support
  • Font rendering
  • Color mode implementation
  • Animation performance

Related Tools and Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I maintain consistency across different components?

Use a design token system with CSS variables to maintain consistency:

:root {
  /* Base tokens */
  --color-blue-500: #3b82f6;
  --spacing-4: 1rem;
  
  /* Semantic tokens */
  --color-primary: var(--color-blue-500);
  --button-padding: var(--spacing-4);
}

How can I test my theme across different devices?

Implement a comprehensive testing strategy:

  • Use browser developer tools for device emulation
  • Test on physical devices when possible
  • Implement responsive breakpoints using CSS variables
  • Use automated testing tools for cross-device verification

Should I use CSS-in-JS or CSS variables for theming?

Both approaches have their merits:

  • CSS Variables: Better performance, native browser support, easier debugging
  • CSS-in-JS: Type safety, dynamic theming, component co-location

Choose based on your project needs, team expertise, and performance requirements.

How do I handle theme switching?

Implement theme switching using CSS classes or data attributes:

/* Theme switching with data attributes */
[data-theme="light"] {
  --background: white;
  --text: black;
}

[data-theme="dark"] {
  --background: #1a1a1a;
  --text: white;
}

/* Theme switching with classes */
.theme-light {
  --background: white;
  --text: black;
}

.theme-dark {
  --background: #1a1a1a;
  --text: white;
}

Theme Organization Tips

File Structure

themes/
  ├── base.css      # Base variables
  ├── light.css     # Light theme
  ├── dark.css      # Dark theme
  └── components/   # Component-specific
      ├── button.css
      ├── input.css
      └── card.css

Variable Naming

/* Token hierarchy */
--color-primary-50: #f0f9ff;
--color-primary-100: #e0f2fe;
/* ... */

/* Semantic naming */
--button-bg: var(--color-primary-500);
--button-text: var(--color-neutral-50);
--button-border: var(--color-primary-600);

Related Color and Design Tools Tools

Material Design Color Palette Tool - Generate Color Schemes

Create stunning and accessible Material Design color palettes. Use our interactive tool to select primary and secondary colors, generate a full range of shades, and preview your theme on a UI mockup. Perfect for developers and designers.

Neumorphism CSS Generator

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Noise Texture Background Creator - Generate Procedural Patterns

Create stunning noise textures and procedural patterns for backgrounds. Generate Perlin noise, fractal patterns, and organic textures with customizable parameters.

Pixel Art Color Palette Tool - Retro Gaming Palettes & Color Extraction

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Random Aesthetic Palette Generator - Trendy Color Schemes

Generate beautiful, trendy color palettes inspired by popular aesthetics like vaporwave, cottagecore, dark academia, and more. Perfect for modern design projects.

Shimmer Effect CSS Generator

Create beautiful shimmer and loading effects for your web applications. Customize animation properties and generate optimized CSS code.

SVG Pattern Generator - Create Scalable Geometric Patterns

Generate beautiful, scalable SVG patterns for backgrounds and design elements. Create dots, lines, grids, and geometric shapes with customizable colors and spacing.

Tailwind CSS Color Palette Visualizer

An interactive visualizer for the default Tailwind CSS color palette. Easily search, browse, and copy class names or hex codes for every color and shade.

Color Palette Rating Tool (User Votes)

Upload or define color palettes and get quick feedback with upvotes and downvotes. Great for designers validating palette choices and prioritizing options.

Color Mood Board Builder

Create visual mood boards with color palettes, notes, and image placeholders. Plan brand concepts, UI themes, and design directions in one place.